I pulled my mouth out of the quick grin and back into solemness. I must act much older than my seventeen years. Tomorrow, I’d turn eighteen, and they’d respect me more, or at least shout less. #CleanWIP (theme: old)

I rubbed my lower back, “You don’t understand. Dee is old, and old people have to rest sometimes.”A big grin came on the boy’s face, “Dee, you’re not old. You just look old.”That boy always knew how to make me laugh.#CleanWip#GrayHeron

#CleanWIP (theme OLD)“You will never be old to me, Lord Owain.” Dolan held back a smile lest the man think he was mocking him. “I only hope to be as young as you are someday.”Owain roared with laughter, catching Dolan’s double meaning.

Melchius drew himself out of his reverie and blinked owlishly at Frank. The old wizard wore his usual patched and frayed robe and sat on his horse as if getting on it had been an afterthought, something unconnected with the deep thoughts he was perpetually pondering. #CleanWIP

“What else are you planning to do? Hang around with your old grandma every day for company? I want to see you as happy as you were in that photo over there.”“I was three!”“That doesn’t matter. The point is, you’ve lost that spark you used to have.” Accidentally Yours #CleanWIP

#CleanWip The old man seated across the aisle rolled his head back and whined, “Looks like they'd have a little consideration for folks taking a nap, and not blow that inferior whistle at every dinky little town along the tracks.”

#CleanWIP "Just thinking I should've suspected something. Margie donned her Sunday dress before asking Mama for the grocery list. Then she hitched up the wagon and took off. Two hours later, Mama sent me looking for her. I found the horse and wagon parked in front of the depot."

CleanWIP Magazine has something special to share. Our Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) information package arrived in the mail yesterday. Our name is confirmed: CLEANWIP MAGAZINE LLC. We filed the necessary forms online and it was impossible to convey the importance of mixed capitalization in our name. Mail carriers will surely wonder if somebody accidentally excluded a vowel and it should be CLEANWIPE. We hope they will consider whether there is any real need for a magazine about clean wipes though. Perhaps we can enlist your help teaching everyone WIP means work-in-progress or, in plural form, works-in-progress and that CleanWIP Magazine is focused on those WIP that lean clean. Thanks in advance. ~ CleanWIP Magazine

“Life is beautiful. Except for the spider I almost drank. That wasn’t beautiful. It probably didn’t think I was beautiful either, as I almost swallowed it whole, but then it shouldn’t have been sitting in my water cup.” – Letter from Vasilisa, #cleanWIP

Today is officially the beginning of NaNoWriMo, when hundreds of thousands of writers (or more) begin work on a new novel. That’s a lot of new works-in-progress and we’re excited.

tl; dr: No #CleanWIP theme on Fridays, but we still publish a collaborative article. Use the hashtag to share INTERESTING teases from a WIP or published work (book links encouraged on Fridays). This concludes the short version. [For best results: https://t.co/iCuPzhtLNK] pic.twitter.com/M3gjKOWinC

Mrs. Bradley creaked up the steps with solemn regularity, and Mary fixed her gaze on the drooping white ties of the older woman’s apron, terrified lest she let her attention stray from the moment. If she didn’t, she might cry.

#CleanWIP (theme TERRIFY)Val had wanted to fly on that dragon for years. If he had a secure harness, the risk would be very slight, but there was always some risk. “It terrifies me to think of my son so high in the air.”

#CleanWIP "I was terrified during that storm!” Prudence exclaimed.Emily's face burned. She and Clint had raced toward the ranch in the dark, but the downpour caught them anyway.“Did you come to see Mrs. James? She's napping.”Prudence sniffed. “No, it is you I want to talk to.”

Jessica L. Elliott – This may come as a shock from the girl who writes sweet romance and generally light-hearted fantasy, but I love a good scare. Edgar Allen Poe is one of my favorite authors ever, and I’m the weird person who will watch scary movies alone at night because a) I have kids who shouldn’t be watching them yet and b) my Prince Charming doesn’t enjoy them.

My very first attempt at writing a novel back for NaNoWriMo of 2005 was a haunted library story. Unfortunately, my college computer crashed shortly after graduation and I lost everything (which as an author is horrifying). Someday I might go back to that idea and try again. For now, the spookiest my writing has gotten is in the Through the Rainbow series where Irish legends are real, and not always pleasant.

Katy Huth Jones – I have a medieval fantasy series with battles and executions, but I’ve tried to keep them PG-13 at most. The third book was written during an excruciating cancer recurrence, and I figured out why it has more scary stuff–since I was dealing with a monster in real life, my antagonist became a monster, too. It does have some scary stuff in it, as the Vandals he takes up with like blood and decorate with skulls (just like I found in the Czech Republic).

Laurean Brooks – From my WIP: Speaking of train fare, Emily felt a guilty tug at her heart. She should repay Clemons for the train ticket, since she refused to keep their agreement. She owed him that much. But repaying him meant confessing she was his intended mail order bride. Emily inhaled a ragged breath. What if Clemons already knew and was only biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to expose her?

Patricia Snelling – In my novel Unshakable, Ruby get’s lost on Dartmoor in England when pea soup fog came down It happened to me once near Dartmoor prison. That’s real scary.

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Patricia, I have to agree with you about the pea soup fog. It is real scary. Twice over the years this has happened to me, the fog suddenly reducing visibility to zero. I might only include one of those times in a current WIP called Fifty Close Calls (or I might rename the final product).

At the time, I had a job waxing floors for a nationwide clothing store. My route included the Southeastern US and Texas so I spent a lot of time on the road. One particular night—or early morning if you prefer—I’d been driving many hours already after completing my work at a store in either Nashville or Memphis, Tennessee around midnight and scheduled to arrive at the next store a couple hours before it opened early the next day. I began to drive into small and thin patches of fog as I approached Lake Pontchartrain just north of New Orleans, Louisiana.

But once I was over the water, the fog began to thicken. Since I was on an Interstate highway crossing a huge lake, I decided it would probably be best to just stop at the next exit rather than on the bridge. Within only about five minutes time, visibility went from about three hundred feet to about fifty and it started to get scary. But then, within a second, it was as though a sheet had been stuck to the windshield of the truck, visibility was zero. A second later, I could see about thirty feet then another second only the hood of the vehicle. I let off the accelerator and began to reconsider the emergency lane as this pattern continued many more moments. This was bad.

But the motorhome parked on the Interstate was much worse. I saw it, I swerved to the lane to my left and missed it by mere inches and somehow did not completely lose control of the vehicle and crash through the railing into the fog-covered Lake Pontchartrain. And incredibly, that one patch about a hundred feet wide was the thickest I would hit before I did finally make my way to the next exit.

As I mentioned above, this is for my WIP Fifty Close Calls or I might call the book at least my WRITING is clean. ~ Earl Chinnici

Brandon climbed the steps with a tent, sleeping bag, and hiking pack. No need to return the stuff, Theo had said. One trip out into the woods with buzzing bugs, and a bear that scared the wits out of him, was enough to cure him of camping for a lifetime.#CleanWIP#amwriting

#CleanWIP Lighting slashed across the sky. Emily flinched. Clint hated to scare her, but they had to go. He mounted the horse, pulling her up behind him. Bowie galloped through the night as thunder rolled. Clint prayed, silently thanking God that the Palomino knew his way home.

“If those who have grain would sell it, then the people wouldn’t rise against them.”“Yosyph.” She caressed my cheek. “The nobility have families, too. They fear for their wives and little ones. They are scared. Help them have reason to trust you.” #cleanWIP (scared)

My parents taught me not to be scared of monsters. It empowered me to take control of my life and stand up to those things that appeared terrifying. I only wish they had taught me how to deal with a bunch of sneaky little gremlins. #1linewed#CleanWip

Lyrren is the highest rank an enlisted man can attain in this world’s military. They attended the Academy for 4 years but did not go on to become officers (an additional 2 years of study/training). I plan to finish the Turrim Archive & rapid-release the 5-book series in 2021.

“Ruby, you know me. You know I don’t care about any of those things. I don’t like him because he’s a jerk.”“You wanna say that to my face?” Ryan barked.“Gladly. You think you scare me?”“Stop!” Ruby said, as forcefully as she could. “Ryan, stop.” #CleanWIP

I saw the worry in her eyes, “Jerome, don’t you realize where you guys are going. I’m stressing over Jason; he is hardheaded and has no fear. Vietnam is a killing field, where soldiers go to die. I don’t want my brother, over there, I want him home, where he belongs.” #CleanWip

With escape so close, he was able to finally feel something other than crushing fear. He felt rage; for himself, and for Arthur, and for Sally, and for all the other people boxed into corners by evil forces outside their control. –Arthur Flint Files #CleanWIP

“It’s no laughing matter. There’re crazy people over there. They know me. I’m a link to their food source, so they don’t bother me for the most part. But you? A preacher? They’re gonna have you for lunch.” Fear gripped her heart. “Don’t go, Brandon. Just don’t.”#CleanWIP

#CleanWIP (theme FEAR)Kieran placed his sticky hands on top of hers.“He’s faltering,” she whispered.“I feared the lad had lost too much blood.”When the heart began to flutter, Mercy sent a surge of Healing power there, desperate to stabilize it.

#CleanWIP (theme WORRY)Kieran had to look away from the anguish in her eyes. “Owain has a good physician, experienced with battle injuries. You needn’t worry, love.” He held the end of one of the laces on an arm guard so Tristam could secure it.

Jason laughed politely, but his eyes darted around and his shoulders were tense. Margaret felt a twinge of alarm. “Are you all right? Is . . . is Amber all right?”“Oh! Yes, yes, we’re . . . fine. Nothing to worry about.” He put on an unconvincing smile. –Untitled #CleanWIP

Her laugh was so free; it floated in the air like a feather. “That settles it, Jerome, meet me after work tomorrow, at the City Café, and we’ll go buy you some awesome new threads.” She looked at Dad, “Noel, don’t worry; your boy will be the best-dressed kid at school.” #CleanWip

#CleanWIP If this dentist ain’t what he appears, hop on the next train home.”Emily nodded, knowing she could never return. Not only the high price of train fare, but her sister-in-law would never allow it. Roy might worry about her, but Louise wouldn’t give her a second thought.

It was horrifying. My best friend was about to marry an absolutely crazy man from South Florida. Had it been only the occasional yelling at nothing while waving his hand around in the air, I might have been able to overlook it. This man was so disturbed he murdered his imaginary friend then turned himself in. He once got caught trying to smuggle an ounce of marijuana onto a plane while wearing a shirt proclaiming “I have drugs.” He’s no longer allowed in a Publix supermarket after getting in trouble for dancing around in Superman underwear in their parking lot screaming “Lois! Have you seen my cape, Lois?”

Anyway, they made it all the way to “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness…” when Blake Shelton’s “God Gave Me You” began blaring—seemingly out of nowhere and everywhere simultaneously. I thought “Okay, I can see playing this at a wedding; it’s a great song. But right in the middle of the vows? And why on Earth is it so loud?”

When I finally realized it was my alarm sounding off, I woke with a start and laughed until my cheeks hurt. I’m sure glad that went off without a hitch.

I’m concerned at how little concern appears in my writings. I finally found this in a *connect to the author* section: Whenever feasible, I intentionally avoid using words that would cause a young child to hesitate with concern when reading aloud to Grandma. #CleanWIP

Ace glanced at the crowd gathering behind them with concern, then smiled patiently at Ellie. “Oh, a little of this, a little of that. I’m kind of a Jack-of-all trades. So, IS there anything else I can get you?” #CleanWIP

Ace glanced at the crowd gathering behind them with concern, then smiled patiently at Ellie. “Oh, a little of this, a little of that. I’m kind of a Jack-of-all trades. So, IS there anything else I can get you?” #CleanWIP

“My schedule’s not very tight right now, so if you need me for anything—prayer, a neutral ear to voice concerns to, or just… I don’t know.” He shrugged. “If you lose the jack to your car and need someone to hold it up while you change the tire, I’m your man.”#CleanWIP

#CleanWip If she and the dentist disliked one another, could Emily endure a marriage of convenience–spend her life with a man she didn't love and who didn't love her? If his biggest concern was if she was sturdy enough to help him in his practice, why didn't he just hire a man?

How is this for a frosting of purple flowers at @BlueMountainsBG? Felicia fruiticosa subspecies fruiticosa. Not sure why this is not a more popular garden plant. Look at the flower power. Commonly called Shrub Aster and a native of the Western Cape Province of South Africa. pic.twitter.com/D9FdDesTKN

Was she…was she daring him? Tyrel assessed her too-sweet tone, the sly twist of her lips. Oh yeah. He was without a doubt being dared. It didn’t fit with any of her other behavior so far. Nevertheless, he felt a need to rise to the challenge.#amwriting#cleanWIP

The sunlit throne room echoed with angry noblemen. Ten of them huddled like grouchy sheep at the bottom of my dais, an impromptu committee to help me mend my ways. Two guards stood on either side of me, and eight more watched close by. None had drawn weapons—yet. #cleanWIP

Light and darkness play a huge metaphorical role in my Unsung Legacies historical fiction series. I use it to illustrate good and evil, knowledge and ignorance, truth and lies, fear and trust. It’s especially evident in Sunlight and Shadows (as the title suggests), where the main character, Betty, comes out of the comfortable darkness of ignorance into the harsh light of truth. “She walked through the silent house and out the back door. She stood on the back porch and looked around at the landscape. It was the same sunlight as before. It was the same paddock, the same lazy horse eating grass, the same field, the same woods. Somehow the world had gone on as though nothing happened. But her perfect day–her perfect life–had evaporated like a puddle in the summer sun, as if it never was.” In the next snippet, the light represents hope peeking out through despair, and foreshadows the good that will come out of this tragedy, even if it’s not clear right now. “Soon enough, the sun peeked through the drawn curtains, finding its way through the crack between the two dense panels of fabric, and creating a narrow line of light across Mama’s casket.” Then, in this last snippet, the sunlight (the truth) turns her father (who has changed for the worse) into a literal shadow of himself, and it’s only when he closes the door that he is recognizable. “Daddy walked in, a moving silhouette until he shut the door and blocked the sunlight out.” ~ Jessica Marie Holt, Unsung Legacies

“Keep your face to the sun and you will never see the shadows.” ~ Helen Keller

#CleanWIP (theme SUN)King Dolan stood tall and proud wearing a golden crown upon his dark hair and a well-fitted purple surcoat. The jewels and gold trim sparkled in the sunlight, adding to the dazzling effect his presence had upon her.

Looking out into the ocean, I saw a speck in the distance. It had to be Pele. As it got closer, I could see the gleam of the outriggers, glistening in the sun. Yep, it’s Pele, and soon, I’d be back in the comfort of my little bungalow, to a hot meal and a shower. #CleanWip

#CleanWip The postmistress squinted against the sun. “Haven’t heard of a business needing a typist or bookkeeper, Miss Hammons. Usually, when they put a Help Wanted sign in the window, somebody grabs it up within the hour. Abilene is a booming town, in case you haven’t noticed.”

The kitchen was small, but cheerful. Sunlight streamed in through the glass back door. A vase of fresh flowers sat on the counter, and colorful painted rooster kept watch over a tray of Christmas cookies that had been set out on the island #CleanWIP

We asked authors who write on the clean end of the spectrum how they come up with all those characters’ names and how they remember who’s who as they write. Here’s the inside scoop.

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Charmain Zimmerman Brackett – Most of the time, they just come to me. I have looked up names every now and then, but for specific reasons. My latest series is based in my hometown of Augusta, GA so I needed some Southern sounding names. I also looked up articles on favorite double names. One way to remember everyone’s name is to keep the list of characters minimal. If the writer can’t remember them, then how is a reader supposed to remember them? Also, my “characters” are real people to me especially the main characters. I know their backstories and their favorite colors. They are people; they wake me up at night and talk to me.

Michael Lynes – I remember them because they become ‘real’ to me in some sense.

Authors are often extremely busy people so we try not to be too pushy when we can tell they’re in a hurry. Nonetheless, when we pressured Michael slightly as to whether he has tricks up his sleeves to decide which names to use, he told us the names “completely pop in. Especially their nicknames and the names they call other people.”

Linda Ellen – That’s a good question! Sometimes names can be hard, and now with ten books, I’m having to scramble and not use the same ones. I write historical romance, and many times I’ve found old fashioned sounding names for secondary characters on census records for that year. Sometimes if I need a last name for a character mentioned one time, I look over at my Facebook chat list and pick one from who is on, lol. First names of my main characters started out being names I loved, and then I started honoring loved ones and friends (a friend named Terry is the hero’s name for one book. Grandson Finn is the hero for another. Co-worker Mary June is heroine for another, etc.). How I keep them straight is I keep a note file open side by side with my master file as I’m writing. When I create a new character, I click over and type it into the note file.

Jessica Marie Holt – Some names just come to me, as though the character was a real person who always had that name. Most others I struggle with. I tend to want to name every older man George and every younger man Jackson, and after that my creativity sort of taps out. For my historical fictions, I googled the most popular names in the 1860s, and looked at the US census records. Then, because the series takes place here in my area of North Carolina, I have recently been looking at history books and gravestones to get ideas for future names that sound local/regional. For contemporary names, I use baby name lists, popular name lists, and I look at TV credits and street names. Some of my characters have “placeholder” names until the end of the book, because I struggle so much with the decision. Keeping the names straight once I choose them is easy, though. They’re like real people. I might occasionally mix up them up, like I would in real life, but deep down I always know who everyone is, and what their names are.

Richard Houston – I put a list of characters at the front of my books with a short description of who they are. In one book, I even drew a chart to show their relationships. I do this a much for myself as my readers. Another question you didn’t ask, but I’ll answer is how do I keep track of time. I put the day of the seek and the date in brackets on every scene and chapter heading of my manuscript. I remove those before the book is published.These are tricks I’ve only used in my last two books after I found I couldn’t keep track of either one in my previous books.

Arthur Daigle – Some character names are related to what they are or their occupations. For example, I have two trolls named London and Brooklyn, since in legends trolls often live under bridges. I have a goblin alchemist called Vial, after the glass container used in chemistry. In other cases I’m trying to defy expectations. Heroic leads often have names that imply strength, such as Stone, Rock, Hawk and so on. I named my main character William Bradshaw to make him sound ordinary. Lastly, each character has to have a name that is both pronounceable and different enough from the names of all other characters. Some fantasy authors create highly complex names that look like the alphabet got tossed in a blender. Those are hard for readers to say, and I feel that makes it harder to remember. Having character names too close together may make readers mistake one for the other.

Debbie Brown – I’m always paying attention to names, but strangely enough, I usually wait for my characters to tell me their names. I remember one time, where i was in the middle of a scene and this character walks in… I had no idea who he was or what he was doing…Turns out, he was very helpful and definitely needed, lol. I had to wait to hear somebody say his name to know what it was.Crazy stuff ya just can’t make up.

Laurean Brooks – I don’t have a problem remembering the first names of my characters since my books usually don’t have more than 8 or 10. I name them according to their looks and personalities. My current WIP (Western) has hero “Clint” (rugged name for a cowboy), and heroine “Emily” a pretty name. For the goofy buck-tooth dentist, who gives Emily a tough time, his name is “Wendell”, Another lady who is pursuing Wendell, is “Prudence.” This gives a visual of shy and a little homely. As for Characters’ names, I have a book published in the late 70s titled “Beyond Jennifer and Jason.” I paid 50 cents for it at a Library sale, a decade ago. It’s been worth it’s weight in gold many times over. The “baby name” book lists many popular baby names from 2 centuries ago and up to the 1980s, and their origins. It also lists names that portray personalities. Like macho names for men, pretty names for ladies. Suggestion: If you purchase this book from Amazon, get the original version. I later bought the updated “Beyond Jennifer and Jason, Madison & Montana.” It does not contain half the information and listings as “Beyond Jennifer and Jason.”

Jessica L. Elliott – Depends on the project. One name came to me because I have a snarky author friend who recommended it in jest. Turns out Allisatravondarestra was just the right name for my character, who incidentally much prefers to go by Allie. My readers prefer that too! Haha.But it’s a toss up. Some characters come into my head fully-formed with a name already attached. Others, I spend days searching my worn-out baby name book for just the right name. I really relate to the scene in The Man Who Invented Christmas where Dickens is trying to discover the right name for his protagonist. Just as Scrooge appeared to him, once I’ve got the name, the character comes to life.As far as keeping track of them, I’ve got a spreadsheet I try to remember to fill out.

Katherine Karrol – I have an easy time keeping track of characters because not only are they as real to me as people in the world outside my head, but they pop up in multiple books in the series.Most of the names are ones that just jumped into my head as fitting a particular character. I was having a hard time coming up with the name that felt right for one of my leading men, so I started thinking through my favorite NFL teams. I didn’t even realize it at the time, but his name ended up being a combo of two players on my favorite team. The irony is that he wasn’t the athlete in his family or a very alpha guy.I have a list of names that has grown to include first and last for males and females, towns, businesses, and places around the fictitious county my series is set in. I’m incorporating more names of town fathers from the area my county is modeled after, too.I try not to use names of people I know, but I have used some of my ancestors’ surnames. I made an exception once and named a lighthouse after my grandmother. I figured no one would know that Marvel was an actual person’s name!

Rachel John – I put a list of the characters at the bottom of the document until I have them memorized, but I do struggle with not using the same ones from book to book. I seem to have a problem with wanting to use Jasmine as the bad girl/ex-girlfriend character. And I just realized I had Lottie twice in the same series and had to do a find/replace on my current WIP. Find/replace can get tricky if you have a name like Dan because of words like dance. Also, I have it in my editing checklist to search for the name I started with because my brain will want to keep using it after I’ve changed it.

Lea Carter – I got the names for my Coddiwomple series from the Basque language, Euskara. I didn’t always use whole words, but that allowed me to choose names with meaning that wouldn’t be recognized as everyday words. It would sound silly to name an older woman in the village ‘mother,’ for example, but naming her ‘Ama’ sounds fine!I’ve also learned to keep a separate document called “Who’s Who” for each setting.

Margaret Skea – All but my main family in my Scottish series were real people – the problem that posed was that they weren’t very imaginative re Christian names in the 16th century – so keeping track for me was hard never mind for readers. I have lists pinned up with ages etc to keep me on track and supply a character list at the front of the books. Ironically, when I had a free choice, I couldn’t decide on a Christian name for the main character until the very end of the second book, so he survived two whole books on just his surname!

Ruth O’Neil – In my current WIP I had to come up with seven names for main characters and they all had to have meaning. Some were easier than others, but then I came to that one that just wouldn’t come out. But then, after one last ditch effort to name this character, I found exactly what I had not been looking for. I found a name, but I also found a whole background for her to write about. Zena became a Greek with a history that no one knew about.

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We’re working closely with a growing number of authors who lean toward the clean end of the spectrum to bring you similar collaborative articles and behind the scenes glimpses. If you enjoyed this, and we hope you did, please consider sharing it.

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” And when they wake up in the summer, Kitty, they dress themselves all in green, and dance about–whenever the wind blows. ~ Lewis Carol “Through the Looking Glass”

He thought at first that it was her voice. But then he turned to see a stranger behind him–a woman, with straight brown hair and sad gray eyes, wearing a tulip-red pea coat that looked brilliant against the white snow. #CleanWIP

It had stopped snowing by the time he reached the cemetery. The gravestones sat in tidy rows, illuminated in brilliant winter sunshine, capped with a thin, sparkling layer of snow. Colorful flowers lay on some of the graves, dusted in white. #CleanWIP

I loved to write at my desk with the blinds fully open and watch the snow fall past my window. There was something peaceful and mesmerizing about the silence of the falling flakes. Something inspiring. Words flowed and filled pages. I miss the snow…#CleanWIP

Something for the authors. This Twitter thread from filmmaker, Christopher McQuarrie is about screenwriting and it has nothing to do with snow. We feel it applies to authors of every sort and is totally worth the time it takes to read. (Maybe save it for a snow day if you must.)

I‘m receiving a lot of questions from writers asking where to submit scripts or how to sell them. Others ask how to sign an agent, attach directors or producers, etc.

#CleanWIP We’re in for a bad storm. They can slip upon you before you know it,” Clint warned. “We’re overdue for a rain, but I don’t want to get caught in the middle of a lightning storm. We’d better head back before it hits.”

#CleanWIP (Theme LIGHTNING)When the bonds clattered to the ground, Kyria straightened, flexing her hands.“You’re hurt.” Dolan gently took her nearest hand and turned it over to expose a torn and bleeding wrist. At the contact, a jolt like lightning went through him.

“Mr. Johnson, your grade for this class will be an “A.” Your words are pumped from your heart, filtered through your brain, and they pour out onto paper with lightning speed. I envy that ability, and I only wish that I could teach that.” #CleanWip

Lightning would be so romantic if it would just keep its distance from everything important, including all living creatures. Of course we all know it doesn’t. All too often lightning ignites fires, damages homes and other structures, destroys appliances… sometimes it even kills.The earliest scary lightning story I can think of happened when I was perhaps ten years old. While swimming in an in-ground pool, lightning struck close enough that I felt a slight tingle in the water similar to the sensation of sticking a 9-volt battery to one’s own tongue. (Wasn’t everyone their older brother’s battery tester? No? Hmm.)I recall another close call in my early to mid teens. It was much closer, actually. I was watching TV with my dad while Mom was at the kitchen sink when all of a sudden and with a loud blended crackle and pop, a bolt of blue came from an outlet directly behind the television and struck the sink just as Mom took one step back from it.I know there were many other times lightning was closer than I like it to be. I live in Florida. Some have called it the lightning capital of the world though the age of the Internet has shown everything—including this claim—is debatable.Undoubtedly, the strangest lightning occurrences I’ve witnessed were during tornadoes. I’ve been in and near many, especially since February of 1999. I didn’t move. Perhaps they did.Only some of the tornadoes arrived with lightning, but the lighting that came with those that did was unlike any lightning I’ve ever experienced outside of a tornado. Instead of booms of thunder, there were only extremely fast clicks and crackles; the flashes were like flashes of a strobe light at a dance party or the local disco. (Give it time. Disco music will make a comeback, I can feel it.)This article seems it might tolerate one lightning fast tale. This occurred only a half-dozen years ago and it was among the most scary—holding its own with those during the tornadoes.Boom! (Scared yet? No?) About three seconds later, another boom, this one louder and undeniably much closer than the first. I begin to count. One Mississ—BOOM! Shaken, I begin to count again. One—BOOM! And another. BOOM! I lie flat on the floor on my belly, now considering how soldiers must feel when in a war zone under fire by heavy artillery. A final approaching BOOM, quite deafening and then about two seconds later a BOOM further away, but obviously following the same line of travel.I lie flat another couple minutes and finally get the nerve to get up. About twenty minutes later, I hear sirens of fire trucks and getting louder with each passing second. Roughly a minute later, they’re slowing in front of my home then turning onto the small private road at the edge of my yard. Turns out the final approaching BOOM struck a cousin’s barn less than a thousand feet from me and had pretty well burned it down before it became apparent to other neighbors what had happened.But it sure seemed closer.

By Earl ChinniciToday’s lightning theme seemed a great reason to work on my first draft of a work-in-progress currently titled “Fifty Close Calls.” If these collaborative articles have also helped motivate you to add words to a work-in-progress, I’d love to hear from you. Check the contact page for the latest info.

February 22, 2014 – Lightning exploded the side of a tree and propelled several shards of wood into the ground in multiple places, the farthest discovered piece being about fifty feet away from the base of the struck tree. The sticks forming the V (an X when viewed closer) in the background of this photo are also two pieces of the same tree. Others nearby were not photographed.

We are excited to announce today the opening of our CleanWIP Magazine storefront. We’ve designed several awesome products already and have many more planned.

CleanWIP Magazine, a new e-zine for writers who market their books as ‘clean’ and the readers who love them, hosts the #CleanWIP author hashtag game Sundays through Fridays. ~ Care to join us? ~ The theme for Monday, October 21 is RAIN. pic.twitter.com/WtM57QimXv

A slow rain fell, forming an intricate pattern of diamond clusters on the window. I studied each one as they trickled down the pane. Suddenly, a clap of thunder shook the house down to the foundation. The diamonds raced for cover and vanished forever. #MuseMon#CleanWip

#CleanWIP We’re in for a bad storm. They can slip upon you before you know it,” Clint warned. “We’re overdue for a rain, but I don’t want to get caught in the middle of a lightning storm. We’d better head back before it hits.”

It was hopeless, and Levi knew it. But he was running anyway. His heart thudded in his ears. His steps pounded on the wet pavement. His lungs screamed for relief. The misting rain flew into his face like tiny cold needles, obscuring his vision. #CleanWIP

“A man climbed three stories to Halavant’s window, picked the lock, and decided to practice knife fighting with a sleeping cripple. What he didn’t expect was a quick-witted warrior. Halavant is an astute study in the art of Lausatök.” – King’s Shadow, #cleanWIP

#CleanWIP (theme RAIN)“I’m glad it hasn’t rained lately, my lady.” Oleta grabbed the side with whitened knuckles when the cart jolted over a rut. “Else the roads would be muddy, and that would be even worse.”

Misty rain turned to larger droplets and fell from Brandon’s hairline onto his face. Ava resisted the urge to smooth it away. To erase whatever was driving him toward a place he didn’t belong. A place where nobody belonged. #CleanWip

While it’s true that some things smell better than others do, it’s nice to be able to smell a distant rain. It’s also nice to enjoy the smell of frangipani without a burning cigarette or an ashtray full of butts nearby. I shudder when I think of all the butts I used to smell. ~ Earl Chinnici (from Maybe You Should Move Those Away From You)

Maddie’s gaze was fixed on the field. A little breeze blew her curls around her face, and her pink lips were turned up into a small, thoughtful smile. Ace took a mental snapshot. He wanted to remember her just like that forever. #CleanWIP

#CleanWIP Thunder clapped and lightning zigzagged across the dark sky as they raced ahead of the storm. The wind whipped at their backs, swirling dust around them. Clint kneed Butter again, urging him on faster, while praying they would reach the ranch before the downpour hit.

Being a Floridian fifty years, I’m no stranger to wind. So it seems to me I should be able to write so much about it, on demand even, but I’m finding it difficult. I began to write yesterday while still being affected by post-tropical storm Nestor. I wrote two paragraphs and stared at them about the span of half an hour then discarded them so swiftly as though I’d suddenly realized they were infected with a highly contagious pathogen. Why would anyone want to read this?I tried again and achieved similar results.A third time I began anew and only made it through two sentences before being disgusted by the way I arranged the words. Perhaps I am tired, I thought. So I slept.As I young child, I recall days with family flying kites on a gentle breeze from the schoolyard. Had my wind-related experiences stayed in the neighborhood of kites and pinwheels and gentle ocean breezes, perhaps it would be easier to write about wind today. But then, how could I ever hope to convey the differences between the center of a hurricane and the center of a tornado had I not been intimate with both?Minutes after I rose and with great determination, I attempted this article once more. Only minutes later, that disheartening realization of failure set in yet again. Anyone near me knows of the anxiety I now feel, but how could one topic cripple me to this point where words will not flow?But isn’t that how it often goes and with nearly any work-in-progress? When it comes to matters of the mind, a work might be ‘in progress’ quite a long time.Perhaps I am tired.Perhaps tomorrow the words will flow freely.Perhaps this tale isn’t so much about wind as it is about writing and about those spaces between words. ~ Earl Chinnici

This marks the second ‘Relaxed Friday’ we’ve hosted but unfortunately the first was apparently so relaxed, we failed to create a collaborative article. What can we say? Relax already. Don’t judge.

Here’s the scoop on #CleanWIP ‘Relaxed Fridays.’

NO THEME – We’re encouraging authors to take advantage of ‘Relaxed Fridays’ by sharing interesting lines without the usual concern of whether an excerpt matches our announced theme.

WIP OR PUBLISHED WORK – Since every published work was once a work-in-progress, we want to see the polished product—but only on Fridays because CleanPublishedWorks Magazine didn’t sound right to our ears.

PURCHASE LINKS WELCOME – Since we’re sharing lines from published works on Fridays, we want a quick way to purchase something that catches our attention.

#CleanWIP NOT REQUIRED – Say what?! – This isn’t a mistake—or at least we hope it isn’t. Authors who have joined us in the CleanWIP Facebook group can also share links on the Relaxed Friday thread there to other hashtag game posts as well as pretty much any fun sort of thing readers are sure to love.

It would be the last time that I would see #34 take the field for his beloved Black Knights. Standing at mid-field for the coin toss, with the chin strap hanging down, and shoulders squared, Rye personified the look of a stallion ready to race. #CleanWip#GrayHeron#Amazon

“Life is beautiful. Except for the spider I almost drank. That wasn’t beautiful. It probably didn’t think I was beautiful either, as I almost swallowed it whole, but then it shouldn’t have been sitting in my water cup.” – Letter from Vasilisa, #cleanWIP

#CleanWIP ~ “You must be out of your mind, Jenny. You think I should apologize after the way that country-clubbing jerk treated me? Whose side are you on anyway? I should have known you’d bring up my temper again.” pic.twitter.com/6J3jnAiCPB

They stood there, a somber, silent foursome. Levi thought about what a strange thing it was to just stand around in the dark, in the rain, waiting for a car that would most likely take him to his death, as though they were waiting for a ride to the airport. #CleanWIP

Fun Granny Excerpt!By Jessica Marie Holt“Henry, listen. That is Samantha Cooper at the door. She needs our help because she’s having . . . lady-troubles. Would you mind very much making yourself scarce for a while?”Henry stared at her skeptically. “Lady-troubles?”“Yes. Very personal lady-troubles.”The doorbell rang again four times in a row. June jumped slightly. “Here, Henry,” she said, hurriedly shoving cookies into his hands. “Take these with you. Fresh out of the oven. You can eat them upstairs, In bed, if you want!”Henry’s eyes widened, and his brow furrowed. “I can eat them . . . in bed,” he said slowly.“Yes, yes! I’ll even let you read to me later from that book you like so much, and I won’t fall asleep this time,” she said.Henry stared at the cookies with a familiar gleam in his eye. “Lady troubles.”“Lots of lady-troubles,” said Ellie, nodding.Henry shook his head. “All right. But I’m keeping an eye on you two.”“Yes, Henry. You do that. But later.”

He sometimes imagined a new home, in a new place, where no trace of her existed, but it was useless. She floated in his shadow; she hovered at the edge of his consciousness; she inhabited his waking and sleeping dreams. –The Mission #CleanWIP

“Well. I have something to discuss with you.”June was intrigued. She never knew where Ellie’s mind would go, but it was almost always somewhere interesting. “What is it?”“The pact.” Her eyes sparked.June set her coffee cup down firmly. #CleanWIPhttps://t.co/u99eP8DLuB

From a WIP by CleanWIP Magazine’s very own Earl Chinnici – ~ We didn’t set out to be heroes, but heroes we became. I’m sure you’ve seen our faces on billboards and subway walls. We’re uncanny symbols of America’s determination and resilience. Some people claim we’re not human; some claim we’re not real. We want you to know we are. We do have feelings. ~

I stepped onto a west-facing balcony and gazed over the three-walled city as the rising sun lit the snow-dusted farmland beyond the cliff’s shadow, then the outer wall. It would be hours before the cliff’s shadow allowed the sun’s warmth on this balcony. #CleanWIP

#CleanWIP My father-in-law’s small truck was running in the driveway. (a 5-speed). He glanced out the window and drawled, “There goes my little truck. Wonder how far it’ll go.” My husband looked out the window then went running after it.

The fire cracked and popped merrily. The dog snored gently. The paper felt smooth in his hand, and made a satisfying rustling sound when he turned each page. When he reached the sports section, he looked at his watch. Six o’clock. Right on schedule.–Arthur Flint Files #CleanWIP

It had to be a seagull-chicken sandwich, no way I could finish it. I tossed it and headed to clear security. The process went slower than usual; the entire terminal seemed on edge. I remained calm; a puddle- jumper flight and I’d be back in my little bungalow. #CleanWip

“Oh, wow. I wish I could, but I have, um, a date.” Maddie’s voice got smaller as she finished her sentence.Her mom’s face lit up. “Oh? Who with?”“Just a guy. You don’t need all the gory details.”“I don’t need them, no. But I wish you felt like you could tell me.” #CleanWIP

People are peculiar. Characters should be too. Vanilla ice cream is arguably wonderful, but you won’t find many readers willing to argue that books need more vanilla—as in plain—characters.

We asked many authors who write on the clean end of the spectrum to tell us about a peculiarity of one of their characters, either in a current work-in-progress or a published work. Since we realize authors are often extremely busy people, we’re especially appreciative of those who were able to—and did—respond.

(Click an author’s name or book link for more.)

Jessica Marie Holt – Oh, goodness, all of my characters are peculiar. But Dottie Dixon from Sunlight and Shadows is one of my very favorites. The story is set in 1871. Dottie is a sturdy, no-nonsense, buxom kind of woman, but she has an absolute weakness for fashion and decorating—the more lavish and ridiculous, the better. She reads the fashion and home décor mags of the day, and she goes around in fancy brocade dresses with huge bustles and a thousand buttons. The best thing about her is her hats—she wears these elaborate hats with tall, trailing feathers, and you always know when she’s upset because the feathers start trembling. She’s also a woman of few words, and she has an intriguing and sometimes shady past that only reveals itself in tidbits. In a way, I feel like she represents the dichotomy of the Victorian era; austere and no-nonsense, but also opulent and hopelessly over-the-top.

Jessica L. Elliott – My favorite part of writing is discovering all of my characters’ peculiarities. In my published book Operation: Romance, Stacie is a teenager who always writes texts out with proper spelling and punctuation. She can’t stand text-speak, which can drive her crazy since that’s all the handsome football player she’s working with uses. This part of her personality just cracks me up because most teens have no problem with texting shorthand. But, Stacie is not your average teen.

Ruth O’Neil – I actually keep a notebook in my purse as weird/quirky/strange characters seem to be drawn to me. I’ll be out in public and someone feels it necessary to tell me their life’s story—everything I never wanted to know. Little do they know I’m taking mental notes and will record things ASAP. I think one of the favorite characters I “created” was Professor Yates in Come Eat at My Table. She is a conglomerate of several people I know personally. She is the epitome of the absent-minded professor. Her outfits are eccentric, complete with huge, coordinating hats. She might wobble on the sane/insane line, but her heart is true. She loves my MC like no one else but her father did.

Linda Ellen – In my book A Bride for Finn, one of my side characters is an incessant talker. I named her Elvira. She’s based on one of my sister-in-laws, lol. She talks non-stop, you can’t get a word in edge-wise, and her thoughts bounce from one subject to another. Her scenes are hilarious.

Lea Carter – Fairies live for several thousand years. It’s typical to find great-great-grandparents playing sports with their descendants, taking adventure vacations, and just generally living life to the fullest. Princess Arabella, on the other hand, views life through a lens colored by early tragedy. Her younger sister died doing something quite mundane, heightening Arabella’s awareness of how fragile fairies truly are. While other parents are pushing their 40 year old children to learn to fly, she’s finding whatever excuse she can to keep her children close to home. Where it’s safe. She fights her fears daily, with the staunch support of her husband and family, but cringes each time life puts those she loves in danger.[Though she’s not the main character, Arabella has a supporting role in Silver Majesty and Silver Verity.]

Arthur Daigle – Mr. Niff the goblin is convinced he’s a hero, and is the first person to run into danger. It doesn’t matter if there’s no way to win the fight, or if there’s even a real threat, he’s going in with without regard to his own safety. His bravery has resulted in several spectacular acts of heroism, and a nearly endless stream of lawsuits from outraged property owners, insurance salesmen, and totally innocent passersby.[Mr. Niff and his heroic acts are in William Bradshaw, King of the Goblins.]

Laurean Brooks – Aunt Em is a quirky older lady, (my hero’s aunt), in my Western mail order bride story, Not What He Ordered. She speaks her mind and is devious in a helpful way. Hero (Josh) does not know the ad he placed for Aunt Em was not for house help, but for a bride for him. Then when Aunt Em swears the prospective bride (heroine Carrie) to secrecy, Carrie is caught between a rock and a hard place. To tell or not to tell. But Carrie has secrets of her own.

‘We’ even asked the editor.

Earl Chinnici – Not counting that one peculiar character in my debut nearly-a-memoir I wrote as I quit smoking, I suppose my most peculiar character so far is Rita, a boisterous woman of Peurto Rican heritage in one of my current works-in-progress. She speaks and drives very fast. I believe she might be one of Atlanta, Georgia’s worst drivers. Rita comes across as borderline obnoxious at first but she’s really just having a rough time navigating life. That pretty well sums up what I know about her personality so far. Soon after we met, we each faced our own traumatic events so our relationship has been on hold a while. Maybe we’ll get a chance to reconnect someday soon.

“Why did you lock the guards out?”“I just need a better lock on the window.”“Or a room with no windows.” A smile hinted on his grim face. “Maybe a tight cell in the dungeon. Reverse the lock so you can keep others out.”#CleanWIP

Ahead of him, calmly standing in the middle of a small clearing, Beroa was munching on something. The sound of his chewing was all that broke the unnatural silence. Even the birds seemed to be holding their breath. #CleanWIP#preorder @ https://t.co/GO3wXHcxko#fantasy

This assassin came better prepared than the one in the throne room. I kicked his hand. The knife spun over my head and thunked against the wall. I’d need to have the floor and wall attended to in the morning. Couldn’t they leave less damage? #CleanWIP

#CleanWIP “My lady, I’m sorry to wake you, but Her Majesty has need of you.”“The baby?” Mercy climbed down from the bed.“Yes.” Oleta grinned. “The new prince has decided to be born in the middle of the night.”

Ace finally pulled into a weedy, nondescript parking lot in front of a huge, low-lying wooden clapboard building. He looked over at Maddie, who was probably wondering if she’d been kidnapped and brought to a crime den in the middle of nowhere. #CleanWIP

#CleanWIP “You go get your business done at the feed store. I’ll be in the Ladies’ boutique.”Miss Katy Davis was a slippery one. Josh was not letting her out of his sight. “I’ll go in with you.” He placed his hands about her tiny “middle” and lifted her from the buckboard.

“The trouble is, you think you have timeYou think tomorrow’s always coming down the lineThen one day you wake up and you findThe trouble is, you thought you had time”~ Dean Brody “Time”

CleanWIP Magazine, a new e-zine for writers who market their books as ‘clean’ and the readers who love them, hosts the #CleanWIP author hashtag game Sundays through Fridays. Care to join us? https://t.co/6t6ndNUooH ~ The theme for Tuesday, October 15 is TOMORROW. pic.twitter.com/EzFamebqzM

“We can go around tomorrow night–say eleven–and put them up around town. Shady Oaks rolls up the sidewalks at nine on weekdays. No one will see us.”“You’re willing to leave the house after seven-thirty?”June shrugged. “Sacrifices must be made.” #CleanWIP

Shame clouded his features and he averted his face. He shook his head and withdrew from her. “You should return to your rooms,” he murmured. “Get a fire blazing so you don’t catch a chill. I’ll see you… tomorrow.” #CleanWIP

Editor’s Challenge: Pick one of those “special cigarettes,” such as the one you always smoke immediately after breakfast or lunch, and skip it tomorrow. Do not smoke that one cigarette. Tell yourself you will have to wait a specific amount of time after that special event before you ignite a cigarette. What is so special about a cigarette anyway?

“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.” ~ Steve Jobs

Many todays have passed since February 28, 2013, when I watched and photographed that gorgeous sunset, some pleasant and fun and some delightfully uneventful. But then there were those todays that were frightening and those todays that were tragic… and those todays that were both frightening and tragic … some day, I’d like to share so much more with you, but there isn’t time to take you there today. Let’s make the most of this today.

CleanWIP Magazine, a new e-zine for writers who market their books as ‘clean’ and the readers who love them, hosts the #CleanWIP author hashtag game Sundays through Fridays. https://t.co/8qV2kn92xf ~ Care to join us, #amWriting? ~ The theme for MONDAY 10/14/2019 is TODAY.

He threw off his warm cocoon of blankets, swung his legs over the edge of the bed and set his bare feet down on the cool wood floor. He willed himself to stand. He only had one thing on his to-do list today, but it was everything. #CleanWIP

he…rattle[d] off his list of options. “Today we have fresh whitefish, rockfish, &pinkgill. There are 4 kinds of peppers, crisp apples…”“I know what I want,” Leuna interrupted. “Auroch meat, pinkgill, apple, potato, the lavender pepper, and more of the same.”#CleanWIP#foodie

“What can I get for you ladies today?” the no-name barista said, with a hooded gaze and a cocky grin.June turned to Ellie and shook her head. “No. Just, no.”“Order something!” Ellie whispered through gritted teeth. “Fine.” –Accidentally Yours #CleanWIP

“I don’t really wear goggles.”He caught her arm as she tried to slip past him. “You do today.” …Taken by surprise, she slapped at his hands, but it was too late. The goggles were on. Mortified, she pulled them off and looked away.#CleanWIP#Free @ https://t.co/kn8JXHrlyl

#CleanWIP “This is a pleasant surprise, Joy of my heart.” His smile widened. “Come to spy on us, have you?”“Oh, no.” Joy left the mare and moved closer to Bennet. “I just couldn’t bear to be parted from you today.”“Ah, now I understand.” Bennet winked.

Today’s #CleanWIP theme and collaborative article is Yesterday. [More info] Because it is a collaborative article, it will likely be larger tomorrow than it is today. I hope this doesn’t confuse the authors. You see, tomorrow’s theme is today and Tuesday’s theme is tomorrow, but today’s theme is yesterday. When I first mentioned today’s theme to author Jessica Marie Holt she replied, “I only use this word in dialogue, and apparently it doesn’t come up often! But, tomorrow is another day!” Yes it is, Jessica. Tomorrow is today.

“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

We’re scouting for clean content today based on the theme, especially lines from author’s current works-in-progress. We’ll update this page throughout the day. Be sure to check back.

CleanWIP Magazine, a new e-zine for writers who market their books as ‘clean’ and the readers who love them, hosts the #CleanWIP author hashtag game Sundays through Fridays. Care to join us? ~ https://t.co/6t6ndNUooHhttps://t.co/fnwC86XdAN The theme for 10/13/2019: YESTERDAY

For years my dear sister served as the mainstay in our family, the glue of an extremely dysfunctional bunch. Yesterday, I spread her ashes in the wind, some settle on my jacket. Strangely they stick, and over time I hold what is left of us together. #SunWip#CleanWip

Have you ever wondered how transformed your life could be if one small detail of your past had happened a little differently? It seems everyone occasionally entertains such thoughts. I suppose it is human nature. And isn’t it funny that we often blindly envision how life could be better, not considering how it could be worse? Sometimes, however, our eyes are forced wide open—even if only for a moment. What you are about to read is my unadulterated recollection of one such time. Where I was going I cannot recall, but the trip was unforgettable.

Checking my watch to verify I was running late, I rushed to grab my keys from a hook on the wall just inside the front door of my home. Apparently, I was in too much of a hurry. I fumbled and gravity took over. “ Great, ” I thought, “what’s two seconds when I’m already running late?” I knelt to retrieve the keys then persevered, locking the door behind me. The next six and a half miles of my journey were utterly uneventful.

“Please turn green,” I said aloud as I approached the first of two busy intersections between my home and my destination. Nearly stopping about fifteen feet short of the crosswalk, I was glad to see the traffic signal mercifully comply. As I accelerated and started through the intersection, a four-door sedan from days gone by passed immediately in front of me like a whirlwind, missing my car by mere inches. Shocked and trembling, I stared at the green light I had abruptly stopped under as my mind replayed the dropped keys and the close encounter. A loud and persistent horn soon sounded behind me, urging me to get it in gear. Wiser and more cautiously, I continued along my path. — Life isn’t a race, you see. You don’t need to be in a hurry to cross the finish line.

We asked fifty authors who write on the clean end of the spectrum to tell us about one of their current works-in-progress. Since we realize authors are often extremely busy people, we’re especially appreciative of those who were able to—and did—respond. We hope you’ll keep us informed as these manuscripts become new releases.

(Click an author’s name for more.)

Arthur Daigle – I’m working on Goblin Stories 2, a collection of interlocking shortchanged stories. My goblins face off against a cabal of wizards and scholars that seeks to reveal all secrets, and the unending damage caused by their quest.

Lea Doué – Geese and Gold (Fairytale Dragon Riders) features a young woman on a quest to rescue her brother from trolls, with help from a golden goose and a mushroom-loving dragon.

Irene Onorato – My WIP is titled The Preacher and the Shopkeeper and will kick off a clean romance series which I’m calling Unlikely Love. My hero accepts a pastorship at a church only to find there is no congregation whatsoever. A chance meeting with a homeless man leads him to take up a challenge – to live “tent city” for two weeks, and see if he can make a difference there. The heroine, a local thrift shop owner, thinks he’s crazy. She knows he’s throwing himself into a dangerous situation, and can only hope he survives to tell the tale.

Joanna A. McKethan – I am working on the next in my series featuring the heroine Kenna Alford or as she is in this book Kenna Campbell. She along with her husband Lane to whom she is a distant cousin are in search of their personal legacy, connected to and caught up in an international secret society’s agenda, hounded by stalkers who mean them harm. Their epic struggle spans two continents, giving the lie for all time to the adage, ‘what you don’t know can’t hurt you.’ This WIP is The Tarbert Legacy.

Ruth O’Neil – I just finished final edits on my WIP at 10:30 last night! Yay! (Now on to betas) Still working on the title. I have a couple swimming around in my head, but none are screaming, “Me! Me! Me!” It is about a group of friends who stick together through thick and thin. They meet for lunch once a month, but are always there for each other, especially when prayer is needed.

Charmain Zimmerman Brackett – I’m finishing up the fifth in my cozy mystery series set in my hometown of Augusta, Ga. it’s part of the Grace’s Augusta Mystery Series. My protagonist is a florist who finds herself in the middle of another murder—or two?

Debbie Brown – Working on wrapping up the last installment in my Amethyst Eyes trilogy… looking at final edits in the coming weeks.

Jessica Marie Holt – I have several works in progress, including a Christmas short story, but right now, I am working on my second Granny Pact novel. June and Ellie–grannies, neighbors, and best friends– have taken their meddling to the next level. They have their sights set on Ace and Maddie, two do-gooders who are perfect for one another. Unfortunately, Maddie’s meddling mom has other ideas. . .

Jessica L. Elliott – My current WIP is Of Bows and Cinnamon, the third book in my Christmas romance series, Fairy Matched. Uptight theater director Landon Brown has to find a girlfriend before his mother comes, or else. Time is limited, and he manages to convince Elena Mendoza to take on the role just long enough to get his mother off his back. If only he can keep his heart out of the equation.

Richard Houston – My current WIP is about a guy, Jake Martin, and his dog who seem to get involved in solving murders. He is drawn into yet another mystery when he finds a diary written by a teller who witnessed a bank robbery and murder 35 years ago. Her false testimony had sent an innocent man to the gas chamber. Jake gets involved when his seventy-year-old friend and neighbor, Bonnie Jones, asks for his help because the person who was executed was the husband of a friend. His current investigation gets complicated when his eighteen-year-old daughter from his first marriage shows up because she isn’t sure what she wants to do with her life and doesn’t like Jake’s current girlfriend, Kelly Brown, a sheriff deputy. Bad things start to happen after Jake starts looking into the old bank robbery. First, Fred, his golden retriever, and best friend is dognapped; then a string of arsons and dead bodies begin to pile up all while he tries to deal with the conflict between his daughter and Kelly. Just when Jake thinks he’s solved the crimes, Kelly gets news from her forensics team that Jake’s suspect couldn’t have done it because he was dead at the time of the latest murders. Kelly is now in trouble with her boss, the sheriff, and begs Jake to butt out. Will Jake break his promise to Bonnie and quit investigating? Of course not, but you will have to read the book to see how he manages to solve the crimes and deal with his daughter’s problems, without losing his girlfriend. This is the seventh book in my bestselling Books to Die For series. The working title is A Diary to Die For. Every one of the books in this series has been at the top of one or more Amazon list. The fourth book was on the USA Today Bestseller list twice and number one overall on Barnes and Noble’s Nook. Girl on the Train was number two.

Frank Luke – Just finishing up JOSHUA’S PAWN SHOP. It tells seven tales of people who need a change and find it at a run-down pawn shop with a peculiar owner. Each customer is given the chance to change his future by embracing either a cardinal virtue or heavenly grace. From Fort Worth, Dallas, Cambridge, to Arkham, the shop shows up in the strangest places. The tales run from superhero (“To He Who Overcomes”), to surreal (“The Art of Living”), to time travel (“Blood Ties”), to supernatural horror (“Fun and Games”), the heroes and heroines find out what they are made of and how to be more than they thought possible.

Lea Carter – I’m just starting books 8.5 and 9 of my fairy series, Silver Sagas. In Fission (book 8.5) poor young Rolf struggles to shape the history he’s sworn to record, while enduring yet another burgeoning romance between the main “adults” in his life. In Fusion (book 9), Prince Isaac and Lady Cassidy face the grave challenge of preparing for a massive influx of released political prisoners after the spring thaw. Finding time to finish falling in love may prove impossible!

Laura Hile – My current WIP is SO THIS IS LOVE, a joyride of a Regency that brings whirlwind romance and happily-ever-after to Jane Austen’s staid-and-practical Charlotte Lucas. Because generations of readers have never quite believed Charlotte’s famous statement: “I am not a romantic.” Of course she is. No one could be so desperate as to marry that arrogant bounder, Mr. Collins. Not even undemanding, unromantic Charlotte. Ah, but what if? What if, before the wedding, Collins crosses the line and gets handsyWhat if something in Charlotte snaps? What if she suddenly breaks the engagement and is sent to live with an aunt and uncle? What if this sets into motion an unexpected future, one that includes danger, taking risks, and falling desperately in love? Because after a girl kicks a creep like Collins to the curb, doesn’t she deserve to encounter a swashbuckling hero?

‘We’ even asked the editor.

Earl Chinnici – One of my works-in-progress is Skin Cancer, Black Salve, and Me, a disgusting and informative mini-memoir about how I removed three skin cancers from my arm using the herbaceous perennial Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot). I was nearing completion of the manuscript when a tornado spun up by Hurricane Irma destroyed my home—around me. I… I have no excuse. I need to get back to work.

Photo: Author Irene Onoroto before retiring from her position as radiation protection technician at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

“So, what do you do for a living?”

The question seems to be a kick-starter for dialogue when meeting someone for the first time. The awkwardness of the moment melts when you have something, anything, to talk about.

Recently, at a social gathering, I was intrigued by a man who said he was a retired US Air Force fighter pilot. His Viet Nam era Top Gun stories (yes, really) had me and a small gathering of others riveted to his every word. By far, he’d had the most interesting career of anyone in the room. None of us had ever flown at supersonic speeds, and not a single person in the room had ever had a missile fired at them.

“So, what do you do for a living?” someone asked me later that evening.

I told them I was retired, left out the details of my career, and said, “And now I’m pursuing a career as a writer of romance novels.”

Amazingly enough, the person didn’t squeeze a social yawn out of her eyeballs and walk away. Instead, her eyes widened and she said, “Really? I’ve always wanted to write a book.”

I’m meeting more and more people with the same dream. We want to leave an indelible mark on the fabric of time. Something to say, I was here. Here are my thoughts. My hopes, my dreams, the things I think about.

If you’re one of those people who would tell me you’ve always wanted to write a book, here’s my advice: Write. That. Book. Get your thoughts down on paper or into the computer and save every jot and tittle. Worry about what you’re going to do with your masterpiece later.

I’ve released a new book, and the process kind of reminds me of surfing. Okay, body surfing. I was never brave enough–or coordinated enough!–to try it with a board. Tanning on the beach? Forget that. Why lie in the sun when you can spend the afternoon catching waves? Many summer days at Santa Monica and Malibu taught me a thing or two.

Surfing is about position, skill, and timing. This means hours in the water, being ready, watching wave after wave. Learning how to know a promising wave from a dud. Being willing to swim like crazy to catch the awesome one. You can’t be lazy as a surfer.

Position would be the intriguing story premise and the cover. These are what put me in the water, and each one represents a risk. I wasn’t sure how the ‘magical reality’ element of the body swap would fly. And that sweet cover was spendy–but worth every cent.

Skill? I’ve been writing for 17 years. If Darcy By Any Other Name is an instant success, know that I’ve been rolled under by plenty of waves. (Yeah, the wipeout thing.) I’ve learned to escape the worst by diving under, but multiple thousands of clunky words lie at my back. Then too, I teach fiction writing to high school students. What I’ve learned in helping them improve is a lot.

And timing is about being in the right place at the right moment. There are more Austen readers now than ever before. No readers, no wave!

Surfing, like writing, only appears solitary. The photo at the top of this page shows a lone surfer, but I’m betting he wasn’t the only one in the water that day. Bobbing heads beyond the line of surf are not attractive, so they’re cropped out. Deal is, no one surfs alone. No one writes a book alone–or should.

The fellowship of like minds is crucial. As with surfing, skills are developed alone but there is safety in companionship. In the water and out, surfers hang together and talk. If writing greats C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien needed a support group, so do I.

Sales numbers continue to roll in, and not because of me. News about Darcy is being spread by people like you, my social media friends. A hectic school schedule has allowed me little time to compose ads or tweet or anything. I’ve put up a few posts on Facebook, and you have been sharing them. I am beyond grateful.

I’m a peculiar person and I suspect you are too. I guess that’s okay. If you were like me or I was like you and everyone else was like us, things could get monotonous in a hurry. Trouble is, several of my peculiarities likely have been named and a strange tone of voice applied each time they are mentioned in public. I don’t know, nor do I want to know, those names.

If you’ve spent any time at all on Twitter, I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of users announce in their bios that RTs ≠ endorsements. Sometimes, a user will even spell it out for the viewer, retweets do not equal endorsements. It’s like, make no mistake, since these people were so kind recently when they retweeted my new release apocalyptic steampunk romantic comedy, I’m letting them know I appreciate it by retweeting their raisin cookie recipe—even though I personally despise raisin cookies. And some people feel this way about holidays and some feel this way about opossums and some feel this way about cats, and some feel this way about caterpillars, and if you pick any item that can be named and ask around about it, somebody somewhere feels the same way about it too. But this magazine isn’t about them and ultimately, it isn’t about me either. It is about the authors who market their books as clean and the readers who love them.

Reading is paramount. Even though I can’t always feel great about every book or teaser we include here, I can feel great about promoting literacy. Perhaps somebody needs to read Caterpillars in Space Eating Raisin Cookies to pave the way for Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Bottom line: I intend to and will put forth a great effort to include in CleanWIP Magazine a wide variety of the things I know readers love, even though the likely-named peculiarities within me will certainly at times cause me great anxiety about some of the things I share here.

In addition, some materials for this site are submitted by others. I don’t necessarily share their opinions and they don’t necessarily endorse this site, although some will. Some guests may also write material which is not suitable for all ages. Please use discretion when following links.

So authors, bring on those raisin cookies, holidays, and other taboos! So long as you feel confident about marketing your writing as clean and your works are respectful of others, join in the #CleanWIP hashtag game for authors and if you’re also interested in enjoying the benefits of an ‘open door’ of communication regarding special events and promotions, your book deals, new releases and newest news, join the CleanWIP Facebook author group as well.

By all means, feel free to share this article with others. After all, retweets do not equal endorsements.

A heartfelt thank you from CleanWIP Magazine owner/operator Earl Chinnici.

When I decided to announce my desire to host the #CleanWIP author hashtag game, I had already been helping to administrate a Facebook group of around 3500 awesome authors of clean fiction for more than a couple years. Committing to the extra time involved worried me some, but I felt the game would help these authors, many of whom had become friends, to gain exposure and become even stronger authors through the sentence-level scrutiny of a publicly displayed author hashtag game. I also figured my own Twitter profile could stand the extra traffic.

While I contemplated the logistics of hosting such a game, a whirlwind unfolded before my eyes—right there in the ‘Trends’ section—and before I gave it a second thought, I clicked on the #1 spot.

It would be easy for me to say I wish I hadn’t, but it would not be truthful to say that now that I’ve taken time to consider all things. Though my spirit was once again troubled and my mind weary from the nearly constant vitriol of hatred the ‘trends’ section seems to promote, it was time to turn the page. It was apparent at that moment. A new chapter awaits.

Thank you to everyone who has already shown interest in CleanWIP Magazine, the #CleanWIP hashtag game, and the CleanWIP Facebook author group that helps tie everything together under one figurative roof. I greatly appreciate the continued and the newly found support. I look forward to showcasing examples of your clean content here and presenting it to readers who are most likely to love it.

A knock on the door jarred my dark mood back to reality. I jumped up to see who it could be; there stood Col. Maxwell and Sgt. Hunter.The Col., in a grave voice, said, “Jimmy, I need to speak to your, Mom.”Mother blew by me like a wildfire, “What’s wrong?” #MuseMon#CleanWip

#CleanWIP#Thurds#FIRSTBlood The deep blue of the Aegean sky, cloudless and hot, hung above his head. The last thing he recalled was the shattering impact as the mini-copter hit the water. He sat up, blinking in the bright afternoon sun. Crystal Swan was nowhere in sight. pic.twitter.com/MZUHGTUEi5

“Everything was fine until mom decided we should stop at this ramshackle B&B. I mean, they didn’t even allow #pets, it was obscene…Daddy had his wallet out…these people were SO not prepared for…”Glory droned on while my mind drifted to Hillerson.#Better2sDay#CleanWIP

“Stop by the shelter sometime. I’ll give you a personal tour, and help you pick out the perfect pet.”“Yeah?”“It’s the least I can do.”Ace smiled. “How about tomorrow?”“Tomorrow’s fine. Come whenever you like. Well, not whenever. We close at three.” #Better2sDay#CleanWIP

Ever read an amazing book and wonder how any human being could possibly be not only that creative, but also arrange all those words so perfectly? The reality is, authors enlist the help of many special people to fine tune their books so the readers have a great reading experience. (I’m not sure I’m supposed to let that cat out of the figurative bag, but I plan to share far greater enlightenment than that here so we’ll have to wait a while and see if I have any friends remaining in the world of authors or if I should perhaps go back to well drilling or performing oil changes or… I guess this has become an impromptu example of why authors need many special people to work along side them, at times come behind them even, and point out their wordiness, find the typos, and help resolve each misdirection, to keep authors—who tend to love words to a fault at times—from rambling.)

Authors are people too. Their cars break down.

Getting a recall car repair. A 2 hour wait in a cushy chair in the waiting room? Bring it on! Uninterrupted writing time. #amwriting at a car dealership 😂

Yes. Authors are people too. A lot like you and a lot like me. So next time you read an amazing book and wonder how any human being could possibly be not only that creative, but also arrange all those words so perfectly, I hope you’ll take the time to make someone’s day by posting a five star heartfelt and spoiler-free review and, whenever possible, reach out on social media to thank the author.

Readers, we’re just getting this party started so you will notice a little confusion regarding the #CleanWIP and #CleanWIPtheme hashtag use in the tweets below. Search for #CleanWIP across the social networks to find content from authors who want you to know they market their books as ‘clean’ and are willing to share sneak peeks of their current works-in-progress.

(Note for authors: #CleanWIPtheme existed only to help you find the theme each day. It was a bad idea. To help circumvent further confusion, we’ll use ‘#CleanWIP theme’ instead on our public social media posts. Thanks for joining us!)

Let’s meet some of the authors who are joining in the #CleanWIP fun. This is just a quick and haphazard example of the kind of great content you can expect here at CleanWIP Magazine.

I knew I couldn’t save the game & the boys would most likely stay up all night beating it now that the hard work was done, but I would know that it was because of me so I didn’t #care. I proved it to myself that I could pass the level, & that was enough. #CleanWIPtheme

Ava’s jaws tightened. “Some families checked them out into their care, rented local apartments, paid a couple month’s rent, and walked away. Wretched people. They treated their dogs better than their mothers, fathers, and other family members.”#cleanWIP

#CleanWIP#Thurds#FIRSTBlood The deep blue of the Aegean sky, cloudless and hot, hung above his head. The last thing he recalled was the shattering impact as the mini-copter hit the water. He sat up, blinking in the bright afternoon sun. Crystal Swan was nowhere in sight. pic.twitter.com/MZUHGTUEi5

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Coming Soon

We work closely with published authors and writers who are aspiring to be published as well as other creative people such as artists, poets, and songwriters in our CleanWIP Facebook group for authors (et al) and via the #CleanWIP hashtag game to bring readers interesting collaborative sneak peeks into their works-in-progress, full-featured articles, and also personal reflections on the thoughts and struggles from a rough draft to a published work.

Legalities / Formalities

Earl Chinnici, owner and operator of CleanWIP Magazine, is an Amazon Associate who earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links are often used here.

Some materials on this site are submitted by others. Earl Chinnici and CleanWIP Magazine do not necessarily share the opinions of these other writers and they do not necessarily endorse this site. Some may also write material which is not suitable for all ages. Please use discretion when following links.

We encourage authors to use the #CleanWIP hashtag to share sneak peeks related to the day’s theme from unpublished works. We also encourage use of the hashtag for a single relevant release day announcement. On Fridays, we relax the structure even further and encourage using #CleanWIP to share relevant news, interesting teases from a work-in-progress or published work (purchase links encouraged on Fridays), or something else our readers might love. Actual use of the hashtag is not within our control and even on this site we will sometimes share #CleanWIP content that doesn’t strictly meet these guidelines.